Thunder News Flash – April 27, 2019

Just like Christmas is more than one day of celebrating for Christians throughout the world, Easter is also more than just one day.  The Easter season is the longest of the special liturgical seasons, and lasts for 50 days until the feast of Pentecost.  Two very important feast days are included in the Easter season – Divine Mercy Sunday celebrated the Sunday following Easter Sunday, and the Ascension celebrated 40 days after Jesus rose from the dead.  This is a season filled with Alleluias, candles, holy water and rejoicing.  May this season bring much joy and fulfillment into our school and into your homes.

Please note these important dates in May:

• Sunday, May 5th – First Communion Mass at St. James Parish
• Wednesday, May 8th – Early dismissal at 12:55pm
• Friday, May 17th – No School
• Monday, May 20th – Victoria Day – No School
• Wednesday, May 29th – Confirmation Mass at St. James Parish

We will be celebrating the Crowning of Mary at our next school Mass on Wednesday, May 1st led by the Kindergarten class.  All students are encouraged to bring flowers the morning of May 1st to add to our procession.  Please do not feel that you need to go to the store and buy flowers, but simply bring them from your garden if you have them.  There will be vases in the main hallway of the school, and students and parents are asked to add their flowers to the vases that are there so they are ready to be brought to the Church for Mass.  Two students from each class will be selected to bring the flowers to the statue of Mary in a special procession.

Once again our Lost and Found bin is overflowing.  The next time you are at the school, please come and look to see if any items belong to any of your children.  Any items left in the Lost and Found bin after April 30th will be donated to charity.

The St. Bernadette’s Track Meet is taking place on Tuesday, April 30th, and if your children are attending and they have not yet turned in their permission form, it is overdue.  Please return the signed permission form to the school office on Monday, April 29th or they will be unable to attend this meet.  If you would like your child to travel to this meet on the school bus, please include $10 with their permission form.

We had originally planned our June early dismissal day for Wednesday, June 5th.   However, due to their Graduation Mass, SJB needed to change this early dismissal day to Tuesday, June 4th.  In order to be aligned with their calendar as much as possible, we have decided that we will also change our early dismissal day in June to Tuesday, June 4th.  Please mark this change on your calendars.

We would ask for your prayers for the repose of the soul of Gordon Bregoliss who passed away on April 22nd, the father of our Grade 5 teacher Mrs. Wakely.  Mr. Bregoliss was just a few days away from his 97th birthday.  Instead of celebrating his birthday, the family will gather at his funeral Mass in Kamloops on Monday, April 29th.  Please also pray for Mrs. Wakely and her family as they have lost such an important member of their family.

Why not celebrate the Easter season by joining the Parent Prayer Group in praying the rosary for our school community at 8:30am on Thursday mornings.  Please note that they meet each week in the school Library.  Small children and babies are welcome.

The monthly Hospital Mass will take place on Sunday, April 28th at 4:00pm at the Sacred Space in the Abbotsford Hospital.  Any students wishing to read, please meet Mrs. Stobbe or Mrs. Wakely at 3:45 at the Sacred Space.  This is a wonderful outreach opportunity for our students and their families.

The day of WALKATHON 2019 has come and gone and as always it was a wonderful day for the entire St. James & St. Ann’s community.  It takes a lot of help and support to put on the Walkathon fundraiser and the Parent Fundraising Association would like to thank all the staff, parents and students who shared of their time, talent and treasure to help make this day a success.  Just a reminder that Pledge Collection Days are all this week:  APRIL 29 – MAY 3.  Please bring in your Walkathon pledge sheet and money raised on one of those days to be eligible for Walkathon prizes.  Prizes will be handed out closer to the end of May.  We are still accepting Walkathon pledges online through our website until May 3 by clicking here.  Thank you for your support.  Together we can raise $25,000!

We would also like to thank the following event donors:  Save On Foods, Starbucks (The Spring Family), Westlynn Meats & Seafood, The Maddalozzo-Tou Family, The Laflamme Family and McDonald’s-Clearbrook.